Biden takes swipes at staff over schedule, speaking to press

President Biden took a couple swipes at his staff during his highly anticipated press conference Thursday, complaining of leaks to the press and of events being added to his schedule.

Biden denied reporting that suggested he acknowledged needing to adjust his schedule to end his day earlier, but said he did need to pace himself — comments that came in light of a disastrous performance at a debate two weeks ago that exacerbated concerns over his age and mental fitness.

“I always have an inclination — whether I was playing sports or doing politics — just to keep going nonstop. … I just gotta, just pace myself a little more, pace myself,” the president said.

“The next debate, I’m not going to be traveling in 15 time zones a week before. Anyway, that’s what it was about. That’s what it was about — and by the way, even with that, I love my staff, but they add things. They add things all the time. I’m catching hell from my wife,” he added. 

The New York Times reported last week that Biden had told Democratic governors during a meeting that he needed to curb events after 8 p.m., get more sleep and work fewer hours.

During the press conference, Biden also made a jab at members of his administration who he suggested were leaking to the press.

“You talk to my staff. All of you talk to my staff. Sometimes my staff talks a lot. But the fact of the matter is, I don’t think you have them telling you that all the major ideas we’ve undertaken haven’t been in part initiated by me,” Biden said.

Earlier Thursday, both The New York Times and NBC News released reports that people close to Biden are discussing how to get him to reconsider his decision to stay in the presidential race.

Biden has dismissed Democratic concerns over his candidacy, even as polling in swing states has shown former President Trump edging past Biden, and a growing number of Democrats in Congress have called on the president to withdraw from the race. 

The Thursday evening news conference was seen as another opportunity for Biden to prove naysayers wrong by demonstrating his command of the issues and looking more energized.

But even before his press conference, Biden mistakenly called Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky “President Putin” at a NATO event, before correcting himself. He also called Vice President Harris “Vice President Trump” at the start of his evening presser.